Clearing a blocked drain costs money and causes disruption. Preventing a drainage issue costs nothing and takes only minimal effort.
The majority of blockages in your home is the build up of weeks or months of gradual activity. This means that small changes to your daily living can stock them in their tracks entirely.
Here’s our guide to keeping your drains flowing free, in every single room and even on the outside too!
Kitchen drain prevention – by Edinburgh Blocked Drain Professionals
Kitchen drains handle more potential blockage material than any other drain in your home.
The passage of cooking fats, food scraps, and soap residue all channel through the same pipes, and all of them can cause severe problems.
Avoid pouring oils, fats and grease down the kitchen sink
Fat, oils, and grease, also known as FOG, are the biggest cause of kitchen drain blockages for homeowners.
When you pour warm cooking oil down the sink, it flows easily. But the further it travels, the more it cools and solidifies on the pipe walls. Each time you add more, the layer thickens until water can barely pass through.
Luckily, there is a simple solution. Refrain from disposing of your fat, oils, and grease down the drain altogether.
Instead:
- Let cooking fat cool and solidify in the pan
- Scrape it into a container or directly into the bin
- Wipe greasy pans with kitchen roll before washing
- Use a fat trap jar to collect liquid oils for disposal
This applies to all cooking fats, including butter, lard, coconut oil, and the cooking oil from roasting tins. Even small amounts add up over time.
Food scraps and your sink
Food waste belongs in the bin or compost, not down the plughole or in the sewer. Even small particles accumulate in pipe bends and combine with grease to form stubborn blockages.
Plumbers find some food types particularly problematic. Coffee grounds often clump together and stick to pipe walls. Pasta, rice, and noodles can expand when wet to block pipes and drains. Flour and starch form thick pastes that harden and build-up over time.
Make it a habit to scrape all plates into the bin before washing or placing them in the dishwasher. Use a sink strainer to catch anything that slips through. Empty it into the bin after every washing up session.
Bathroom drain prevention
Bathroom drains face different challenges. Hair, soap scum, and personal care products are the main culprits here.
Stopping hair blockages
Hair is the leading cause of blocked shower and bath drains. You can lose around 100 hairs in a single shower. Without a shower drain cover, they can tangle together and trap other debris leading to a solid mass that clogs the movement of wastewater.
Drain guards and hair catchers are the most effective prevention.
These cheap contraptions sit over or inside your plughole to catch hair before it enters your plumbing system. Easy to clean, you simply remove the collected hair, rinse off any soap scum, and put them back in into position.
Soap scum and bathroom products
Traditional bar soap leaves a residue called soap scum. It coats pipe walls and sticks to any hair or debris already in the drain.
The simple act of switching to liquid soap or body wash reduces this buildup significantly.
But it isn’t just bar soap that is a problem. Thick conditioners, hair masks, and oil-based products can all coat pipes. Try use them sparingly and rinse thoroughly with hot water to prevent a blocked drain.
Toilet care to avoid blocked drains
There are 3 Ps for what should go into your toilet: pee, poo, and (toilet)paper. Nothing else should go down into the sewage, no matter what the packaging claims!
What not to flush
The list of things that cause toilet blockages is long, but wet wipes top it. Even wipes labelled as “flushable” do not break down like toilet paper. They travel through your pipes intact, catching on joints and bends until they form a blockage.
Other common culprits include:
- Sanitary products (tampons, pads, liners)
- Cotton buds and cotton wool
- Dental floss
- Nappies
- Food waste
Accidentally flushing some of the larger items such as nappies and sanitary products may result in a blocked drain emergency.
Tips to prevent a toilet blockage includes keeping a bin in your bathroom, especially for these items, as well as remembering the 3 Ps to avoid costly mistakes and damages.
Outdoor drain maintenance to avoid blockages
External drains and gullies are exposed to leaves, soil, moss, and general outdoor debris that builds up over time.
The location the external drain is located determines who is responsible for blockages. But in general, anything in your property boundary is your responsibility.
Keeping gullies clear
Gullies are the grid-covered drains that collect rainwater and wastewater outside your home. As these are outside, they are exposed to leaves and debris, especially during the Autumn months. Covered gullies can lead to flooded pathways and patios.
Check your gullies monthly. Remove any visible debris from the grid surface. Once or twice a year, lift the grid and clear any silt or leaves from the chamber beneath.
Tree roots and your drains
Tree roots naturally grow towards moisture. If your drain pipes have any cracks or loose joints, roots will find their way in. Once inside, the roots will grow and thicken until they block the pipe entirely.
If you have established trees near your drains, CCTV surveys and inspections can spot root ingress early, before it becomes a major blockage. It can also be helpful to choose less invasive tree species for your garden to help prevent this problem.
Regular maintenance habits to prevent blockages at home
Small, regular actions prevent most drain problems. Build these into your routine:
Weekly tasks to prevent a blocked drain
- Pour a kettle of boiling water down kitchen and bathroom sinks to melt minor grease buildup. However, avoid this if your pipes are old, damaged, or made of PVC, as this may damage the pipes further.
- Clean hair catchers and sink strainers after usage.
- In shared households, check the bathroom bin is being used for non-flushables.
Monthly tips to stop drains from getting blocked
- Check external gullies for debris that may cause blockages.
- Clean the overflow holes in sinks and basins (these can harbour bacteria and cause smells).
- Run water in rarely-used sinks to prevent trap seals drying out, which causes unwanted smells to come into your home.
Yearly suggestions for home protection
- Deep clean gully chambers.
- Clear gutters and downpipe outlets.
- Consider a CCTV survey if your property is older or has mature trees nearby.
When prevention is not enough call in the experts
Some blockages happen despite your best efforts. Old pipes deteriorate. Tree roots find their way in. Previous occupants or guests may have flushed things they shouldn’t have.
But not to panic.
If your drains are slow, smelly, or backing up, don’t wait for the situation to get worse. Our drain clearing services in Edinburgh can diagnose the problem quickly and get your drains flowing again.
Prevention saves money and hassle in the long run. But when problems do occur, fast action prevents damage.
For rapid, effective, and budget-friendly solutions to drainage system problems, contact Clark Drainage today. We are proud to serve cities across the UK with professional drainage solutions, and with 24/7 emergency services, we will make sure to get your pipes back to full function.
Give our friendly team a call today for a free quote or survey on 0808 164 0776.
